


The Streets of London

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-30 11:59:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13951119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: A day trip to London seemed like a good idea, but for Stanley Hopkins, blinded in WWI, the trip was not as easy as he had expected.





	The Streets of London

It had seemed like such a good idea when Dr Watson had suggested it.  A day trip to London.  Holmes would see his brother, Watson would catch up with a couple of old friends, and for Hopkins it would be a change from his regular routine.  He had sat quietly in the train compartment and the doctor had told him the names of the stations as they passed through. 

As they drew nearer to London the place names brought back memories of cases.  He hadn’t realised how much this would affect him as he remembered times when he had worked with Sherlock Holmes and learnt so much about the powers of observation.  Holmes had criticised him at the time for failing to notice all that was around him.  The irony did not escape him, and he grew slowly more silent as they travelled closer to London.

Fortunately, Holmes chose that moment to resume the argument he’d had with the doctor the previous evening about the variety of carrots they should be growing.  Hopkins had never been aware of the numerous varieties available, and now he listened fascinated as Holmes listed their attributes, both taste-wise and suitability of the ground.  He was surprised when they drew into Victoria Station.

They left the train and Hopkins heard Mycroft Holmes greet his brother.  He listened as they agreed on the time of the train they would be catching to return home, and then Hopkins heard the Holmes brothers depart together.  Dr Watson took his arm and they headed out of the station to catch a cab to the Doctor’s club.

Once they reached the club, Hopkins assured the Doctor he would have no problem being on his own for an hour whilst his companion talked to his old friends, for he had no wish to intrude on them.  Watson said he would find him in time for them to go through to the dining room and left Hopkins in one of the lounges.

Hopkins might no longer be able to observe visual clues, but Holmes had spent the last few months assisting him to find his way around the inside of buildings.  Holmes would lead him around, in often quite a convoluted fashion, and encourage Hopkins to retrace his footsteps.  At first it had proved difficult, but gradually he had found it easier and he had started creating mental maps wherever he went.

Accordingly, Hopkins decided he would put his new found abilities into practice, and returned to the front door.  The porter automatically opened the door and Hopkins went outside.  He found the handrail on one side of the steps, and with the help of his stick, carefully made his way down them.  Once on the pavement Hopkins decided to go on a short walk.

He had begun to go out on his own in the small town where they lived.  Gradually his confidence had increased, and he was able to walk to the baker’s and buy a loaf without difficulty.  But this was in a town where everyone knew him, and was only too happy to help him cross the road. 

Here it was different.  There were many more sounds both from traffic and people.  Their house was at one end of the high street and there were few roads which ran off it.  But central London was a maze of streets and alleyways.

Hopkins began to walk, but he soon realised it was too difficult for him.  Even with his stick he was bumping into things, and there were those who shouted at him when he got in their way.  He turned to return to the club, but he could no longer work out which way he had come.  He stopped, causing someone to swear as they walked into him, although they apologised when they realised he was blind.

What was he to do?  He didn’t know which club Watson had taken him to, for the doctor had helped him into the cab before giving the cabbie the address.  At least he knew which train he needed to catch to return home.

Someone touched his arm.  “Are you okay?  Can I get you any help?”

“I’ve got a train to catch,” Hopkins said, not knowing what else he could do.

“Let me call you a cab,” the man said.

He heard a cab draw to a halt.  “Where to, guvnor?” the cabbie asked.

“Victoria Station, please.”

“Okay, ‘op in.”

Hopkins stood still.  He needed to find the door to the cab, so he held out his hands to see if he could feel it.

“’Ang on a second,” the cabbie said.  “I’ll give you an ‘and.”  The cabbie opened the door and put his hand on Hopkins elbow to guide him in.  “Which train you after?”

“The 4.20 to Brighton.”

“You’re a bit early for that.”

“I know.  I got a bit lost so I thought it would be best to go back to the station.”

“Where’d you come from?”

“My friend’s club.  But I don’t know the name.”

“Tell you what.  I don’t reckon you can ‘ave walked too far, so we’ll see if we can find which club it was.”

The cabbie drove slowly and stopped shortly afterwards.  He leant into the cab and said, “You sit ‘ere, guvnor and I’ll go and enquire whether this is the one.  What name shall I say?”

“Hopkins.  That’s very kind of you.”

“No trouble at all.”

Hopkins heard the cabbie return and then felt the cab move off, before stopping again.  He heard the man call out, “You looking for a Mr ‘Opkins?” and then Dr Watson saying, “Yes, have you seen him?”

The cab door opened and the cabbie helped him out.  Watson came and took his arm, and Hopkins heard the doctor pay the cabbie, who said, “Thank you kindly sir, very generous of you.”

Watson guided him back up the steps into the club and then into the dining room.  “Are you okay?” Watson asked.

“Yes, thank you,” he replied.  “I got lost.  I’m sorry to have caused you any concern.”

“It’s all right,” Dr Watson said.  “But next time you decide to go for a walk, please take someone with you.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ's What If Au "Stranded/Lost" challenge


End file.
